Gate



1 RA. sALL'E GATE Filed Dec. 21, 1925 INVENTOR. W0. Mm

BY 7 1d i fT T ORZEYS.

Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

- UNITED STATES ROBERT A. SALLEE, OF POINT RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA.

GATE.

Application filed December 21, 1925. Serial No. 76,565.

This invention relates to gates such as are used on farms and the like, where it is essential that the gate be closed to prevent the escape of livestock.

The gate forming the subject matter of the present application stands normally in a horizontal position cross-wise of a roadway when closed. It is supported on a horizontal pivot at one end so that it may be raised vertically about this pivot in the manner of a railroad gate or semaphore arm when it is desired to open the same. The object of the invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of I gates which are mounted in the manner described and provide means whereby the gate is automatically opened and closed either when driving through the gate, or when walking.

' One form which the mounting and general structure of the gate may assume is exemplified in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross section of a roadway 25 showing the position of the ,gate when closed.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken parallel with the roadway and on the line 11-11, Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the shafts indicated at 6, said view showing the actuating levers and the weight carried thereby.

Referring to the drawings in detail and particularly Figs. 1 and '2, A and B indicate a pair of casings. These casings are covered and are flush with the roadway so that an automobile or other vehicle will be able to travel over the same. Mounted intermediate the casings A and B is a casing C which is also flush with the roadway and covered over. This casing forms a support for one .end of the gate indicated at D and it alsoforms a support for the gate actuating mechanism as will hereinafter be described. Projecting through each of the casings A and B are clip or bail-like members such as indicated at 4 and 5. These members are secured to shafts 6 and each shaft is provided with a counter weight 7. Each shaft is provided with a pair of crank arms such as shown at 8 and 8. The crank arms 8 are secured totheir respective shafts, while the crank arms 8 are free to turn thereon' The lower ends of the crank arms 8 are provided with right angular extensions or pins 9 and the upper end of each crank arm is provided with a lug 10 which is adapted to engage the crank arm 8*. Each shaft is also provided with a counterweight as previously stated and the crank arms together with the bails 4 and 5 therefore normally assume a vertical position.

The gate proper may be constructed in any manner desired, but it is essential that it be supported on ahorizontal pivot so that it may swing from the full line position shown in Fig. 1, to the vertical or dotted line position indicated at 3. The casing C which is preferably constructed of concrete is provided with a cover plate. This cover forms a support for a pair of supporting brackets 2 and these brackets in turn have journal members at their upper ends which support a horizontally disposed shaft 2 upon which the gate is pivotally mounted. The gate is provided with a counter-weight 27, but this weight is not sufiicient to lift the gate to vertical position. In other words, the gate proper overbalances the counter-weight and 5-3- as such normally assumes a horizontal position. A pull must therefore be exerted'on the counter-weight or the end of the gate when it is desired to open the same and the mechanism employed for this purpose will weight is attached shown at 13, is normally held in raised position by means of alatch lever 14 which is pivotally mounted as at 15 in the casing C. The latch is provided with a spring 16 and as such is normally held in latching'position with relation to the crank arm '11. Pivotally mounted as at 17 in each of the casings A and B are a pair of actuating levers 18. The lower ends of the levers are adapted to be engaged by the crank pins 9, while the upper ends of the levers are connected with cables 19 and 20 respectively, the opposite end of the cable 19 being connected to the crank arm at the llU rated at 5 point shown at 21 and the opposite end of cable is connected with the crank arm at a point indicated at 22. The crank arms 8 also have cables attached thereto as indicated at 23 and 2 the cable being attached to the lower end or the la ching lever.

as at and the cable 2% to the upper end of the latching arm as indicated at 26.

The operation will be as follows:

It a vehicle approaches the gate in the di rection of arrow (4 (see Fig. 2) the wheels of the vehicle will roll over the bail member 1 and rock it into the position indicated by the dotted line at 4. This causes shaft (3 to rotate in the same direction and as the counter-weight 7 and the crank arm 8 are secured to the shaft they will also rock or turn in the same direction. Lug 10 will engage the crank arm 8 which is freely turnable on the shaft, will accordingly swing the crank arm 8 in the szine direction. This swinging movement of the crank arm exerts a pull on the cable 23 and as it is attached to the lower end 01 the latching lever 1 1 as indica 'ed at 2 5, the crank arm 11 will be released and the secondary weight will rock the crank arm about its pivot 12 so that a pull will be exerted on the cable 29 which is wound about the drum 28. This pull to gcther with the weight of the counter-weight 2? is suiiic-ient to overbalance the gate and it is accordingly swung to the vertical position indicated by the dotted lines at 3, and the roadway is opened and the vehicle may drive through. As it passes through the gate, the wheels will strike the bail member 5 and will rock it to the dotted line position indi- This will cause shatt 6 to turn in the same direction and it will also cause the counterweight 7 and the crank arm 8 to swing in the same direction. The crank pin 9 on the lower end of the crank arm 8 will in that instance engage the lower end of the lever 18 and swing it about its pivot 17. A pull will thus be exerted on the cable 20 and as this is attached to the lower end of the crank arm 11, it will raise the crank arm to the normal full line position shown in Fig. 2, where it is again engaged by the lat-ch 1 1 and secured. The gate will return to normal horizontal, or closed position, when relieved of the additional weight of the secondary counterweight 13 and. during this movement cable 29 will re-wind itself about the drum. It a vehicle passes through the gate in the direction opposite to that indicated by arrow a, the action will be the same. The bail. member 5 will in that instance rock to assume the dotted line position indicated at 5". Lug 10 will during this movement en gage the crank arm 8 and a pull will thus be exerted on the cable 24-. This is attached to the upper end of the latching arm 14 and as such releases the same, thereby permitting the crank arm to rock to lowered position and simultaneously permit the secondary counter-weight to exert its pull on the cable 29 and thereby raise the gate. hen the vehicle passes through and its wheels strike the bail member 1 the bailis tilted to the dotted line position indicated at t". he pin 9 on the crank arm 8 will then strike the lower end of the lever 18 and swing it about its pivot 17 and thus exert a pull on the cable This is attached to the upper end or the crank arm 11 and as such raises it to normal position where it is again locked or engaged by the latch. The gate is thus relieved of the additional pull of the counter-weight 13 and as such returns to normal horizontal po sition by gravity, the movement'being comparatively slow, as it barely overbalances the counter-weight 27. A post is placed at the free end of the gate which is substantially channel-shaped as shown at This guides the gate and relieves it against any side pressure placed on the gate. By referring. to Figures 1 and 2, it will. be noted that a stop member is employed. This stop member is secured to the counter-weight 27 and serves the function oi stopping or limiting the swinging movement oi the gate as it approaches vertical position. The stop member engages the bracket 2 as shown by dotted lines at 36 just before the gate rea es 90 position, or in other words, prevents the gate from reaching or assuming dead center position. This is, of course, important as the gate would not close when relieved of the weight 18 it a dead center position was assumed.

From the foregoing it should; be obvious that the gate is automatically opened and closed when the vehicle passes through and whether driving in one direction or another. It should also be obvious that the gate may be opened by pedestrians when walking, as it is only necessary to step on the bail-members 4 and 5 and rock them in the proper direction. This is however not necessary, as the free end of the gate is easily raised by hand by a pedestrian it so desired, to a suii'icient height to permit free passage, the gate when released. dropping by gravity back into closed position. 7

While certain "f atures are more or less specifically illustrated and described, I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to withinthe scope of the appended claims, similarly that materials and parts of the several devices employed may be such as experience or judgment of the manufacturer may dictate, or varyingconditions may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a gate adapted to normally asill) sume a horizontal position crosswise of a roadway, a horizontal pivotal support for one gate and vertical movement in the other di' rection permits closing of the gate, and means actuated by the wheels of a vehiclefor imparting vertical movement to the auxiliary weight.

2. The combination with a gate which is mounted on a horizontal pivot at one end, of a weight connected with the pivoted end of the gate, a pivotally mounted bellcrank supporting said weight and permitting downward movement of the weight by gravity, said downward movement of the weight swinging the gate about its pivot to a substantially vertical open position, means normally securing the bellcrank and weight.

against downward movement, means for releasing the bellcrank to permit such downward movement of the weight, and other means for reversing the swinging movement of the bell crank to raise the weight and permit a closing of the gate by gravity.

3. The combination with a gate which is mounted on a horizontal pivot at one end, of a weight connected with the pivoted end of the gate, a pivotally mounted bellcrank supporting said weight and permitting downward movement of the weight by gravity, said downward movement of the weight, swinging the gate to a substantially vertical open position, a latch member 'engageable with one end of the bell crank and normally adapted to hold the bellcrank and weight in a raised position, means actuated by the wheels of a vehicle for releasing the latch to permit a swinging movement of the bellcrank and a downward movement of the weight, and other means actuated by the wheels of a vehicle whereby movement will be transmitted to swing and return the bell crank and the weight to raised position where the bellcrank will be engaged by the latch, the raising of the weight permitting swinging of the gate about its horizontal pivot by gravity in a reverse direction ,to.

close the gate.

4. The combination with a gate which is mounted at one end .on a horizontal pivot, of a cable'attached at one end to said horizon tal pivot, a pivotally mounted bellcrank to which the opposite end of the cable is attached, a weight carried by said bellc'rank, a latch normally engaging the bell crank and holding the bellcrank and wei ht in a raised position, said weight and hell-crank when released exerting a pull on the cable to swing the gate on its pivot to a substantially vertical position, a pair of bail members pivotally disposed one on each side of the gate and adapted to be swung about their pivots by wheels of a vehicle, and means operable by swinging movement of each bail member for releasing the latch to permit the bellcrank and the weight to drop by gravity, and

other means operable by a reverse swinging movement of each bail member for raising the weight and for returning the bellcrank into position and engagement with the latch.

ROBERT A. SALLEE.

on p 

